Application of Bacteriophages for the Control of Unwanted Bacteria in Biofuel Production Mediated by Bacterial Reactive Agents

Abstract

A method of reducing process interruptions in biofuel production systems mediated by bacterial reactive agents by reducing the amount of unwanted bacteria without reduction of wanted or useful bacteria. The method comprises applying a phage panel(s) containing phage virulent for unwanted bacteria that does not contain phage phages virulent wanted bacteria. The method includes, optionally, the selective production of solutions of phage for unwanted bacteria from which phages for wanted bacteria are screened out.

1 . A process, for control of unwanted bacteria in a biofuel production process comprised of a reaction mediated by bacterial system reactive agents, comprising applying to a biomass substrate an effective amount of bacteriophages virulent for one or more strains of the unwanted bacteria. 
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the unwanted bacteria are selected from the group consisting of species from genera generally known as lactic acid bacteria, including  Lactobacillus, Pediococcus, Lactococcus, Enterococcus, Weissella, Leuconostoc, Streptococcus , and  Oenococcus , and species from genera generally known as acetic acid bacteria, including  Acetobacter  and  Gluconobacter.    
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the biomass is comprised of one or more sugar, starch, cellulosic, or lignocellulosic feedstocks selected from the group consisting of grains, including corn, wheat, milo, barley, millet; sugar cane; sugar beets; molasses; whey; potatoes; agricultural residue, including crop residues such as bagasse, wheat straw and corn stalks, leaves, and husks; forestry residue, including logging and mill residues such as wood chips, sawdust, and pulping liquor; grasses, including hardy, fast-growing grasses such as switchgrass grown specifically for ethanol production; municipal, plant, animal and other wastes, including plant-derived wastes such as household garbage, paper products, paper pulp, and food-processing waste; and trees, including fast-growing trees such as poplar and willow grown specifically for ethanol production. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the system reactive agents is selected from the group consisting of:  Clostridia , including  C. ljungdahlii, C. acetobutylicum  and  C. thremocullum; Zymomonas mobilis , including any microorganisms modified to include portions of the genetic code of  Z. mobilis; Escherichia coli; Bacillus , including  B. subtilus  and  B. coagulans; Acidothermus cellulolyticus; Pseudomonas cellulose; Rhodothermus marinus ; and cyanobacteria. 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein some portion of the biofuel production process is a member of the group consisting of fermentation of biomass by bacteria; cyanobacteria biofuel production; and production of enzymes from bacteria for immediate or later use in biofuel production. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the bacteriophages comprise one or more bacteriophage panels such that one or more bacteriophage strains in each panel is virulent for one or more of the unwanted bacteria. 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 6 , wherein one or more of the resident bacteriophage strains are included in the panel by continuous proliferation and concentration of bacteriophages, where proliferation and concentration of bacteriophages is facilitated by supplying unwanted bacteria as hosts. 
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 6 , wherein one or more of the bacteriophage panels are assembled as a standard treatment for one or more application profiles selected from a group comprised of feedstocks, environments, processes, fuel products, geographic locales, system reactive agents, and unwanted bacteria. 
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 6 , wherein the host bacteria are supplied to the bacteriophages in a sidestream vessel and bacteriophages are delivered to the biofuel production process by delivering some portion of the contents of the sidestream vessel to said biofuel production process. 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein bacteriophages are delivered to the biomass directly in a vessel or conduit or in one or more sidestream treatment vessels or conduits, and delivery of the bacteriophages occurs either before or during the biofuel production process targeted for treatment. 
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the multiplicity of infection is at least ten (10) and the concentrations of said bacteriophage strains are at least 10 4  PFU/mL.). 
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the bacteria are concentrated in a continuous enrichment procedure in one or more sidestreams. 
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 12 , wherein a nutrient source, used to feed the unwanted bacteria in the enrichment procedure, is some portion of the biomass. 
     
     
         14 . A composition comprising one or more bacteriophages virulent for unwanted bacteria in a biofuel production process in which biofuel production process which is impeded by unwanted bacteria utilizes bacterial system reactive agents. 
     
     
         15 . The composition of  claim 14 , wherein one or more of the unwanted bacteria are selected from the group consisting of species from genera generally known as lactic acid bacteria, including  Lactobacillus, Pediococcus, Lactococcus, Enterococcus, Weissella, Leuconostoc, Streptococcus , and  Oenococcus , and species from genera generally known as acetic acid bacteria, including  Acetobacter  and  Gluconobacter.